Predictions for 2013

Yesterday, I depressed everyone with the Good Riddance, 2012 post.  The point of that post was to illustrate just how crappy this year has been, while at the same time setting the stage for a little bit of optimism for 2013.

ARE YOU READY?

Here we go...

Prediction #1 -- We finally get lucky with the basketball injury bug.  Bub comes back healthy for the UNC game, and the foot problem doesn't flare up again.  Everyone else of importance stays more or less at 100%.

Prediction #2 -- We make a home run hire at defensive coordinator.  Or at least a stand-up triple.  Jon Tenuta fits the bill, in my opinion... but we'll see how things go, probably this week.

Prediction #3 -- The 2013 recruiting class avoids further attrition, and we actually manage to add another darkhorse recruit along the offensive line and at linebacker, where numbers are currently required.

Prediction #4 -- We get - and stay - on the NCAA Tournament bubble during ACC play.  We end up either barely in the tournament or barely out of it.  If we're in, we give our first-round opponent a scare, and if we're out, we advance deep into the NIT.  Hoofans everywhere deem the season a success.

Prediction #5 -- The baseball team does amazing things en route to a national seed for the NCAA Tournament.  We host a regional and dominate, and we go to the Super Regional... my crystal ball is murky about what happens then (it's way to pollyanna to predict a trip to Omaha).

Prediction #6 -- Lacrosse Final Four.  Book it.

Prediction #7 -- Phillip Sims takes the reins and enters the 2013 season as the unquestioned starter.  Praise Jesus.

Prediction #8 -- We go 6-6 or 7-5... or maybe even 8-4, and make it to a bowl game.  Mike London jumps off the hot seat, and Hoofans settle in for an era of sustained success, as defined by some number of consecutive seasons of 7+ wins.  That's magnificently Welshian, I say.

Prediction #9 -- We land Quin Blanding in the 2014 recruiting class.  That sets off a chain reaction of commitments that stack up to form one of best recruiting classes ever, maybe just outside the national top-15.

Prediction #10 -- At least six of the above predictions do not come true.  Sorry, I've grown bitter and cynical in my old age.  If I had to wager real-life money on the three that do come true, I'd say #2, #4, and #8 are the best bets.  #3, #5, and #9 are the next-best bets.

In any case, 2013 figures to be better than 2012, because 2012 straight-up SUCKED.

GO HOOS!

Good Riddance, 2012

From a dyed-in-the-wool UVA fan's perspective, 2012 SUCKED ASS.  Let's take a look back at a thoroughly shitty year in Wahoo sports...


December 31 (2011), football: Auburn 43, Virginia 24 -- Okay, so it wasn't 2012, but New Year's Eve is close enough.  The Peach Bowl wasn't a terrible game, but it was terrible special teams and a terrible loss that - when coupled with the season-ending loss to Virginia Tech - cast our breakthrough 2011 season into considerable doubt of validity.

January 2 -- It was announced that KT Harrell and James Jones were leaving the basketball program mid-season.  Losing those two effectively stripped the team of any roster depth it might have enjoyed in 2012.  Later, these defections were cursed and credited for the eventual collapse of a once-promising hardwood campaign.

January 19 -- 7-foot center and hyperactive defensive anchor Assane Sene was injured against Georgia Tech, and never played for Virginia again.  The team's defense just wasn't the same after the loss of shot-blocking big man.

January 22, basketball: Virginia Tech 47, Virginia 45 -- WHY THE FUCK did we lose this game???  (And really, three question marks are not enough.)

February 11, basketball: North Carolina 70, Virginia 58 -- The loss sucked, but what was worse was Joe Harris' broken hand, an injury suffered in this game.  Joe playing at less than 100% down the stretch doomed our season.

February 14, basketball: Clemson 60, Virginia 48 -- Terrible loss.  Never should have happened.

February 18 -- Promising freshman Malcolm Brogdon injured his foot against Maryland.  Another big hit to the depth of the basketball team, and this injury ended up being severe enough to trigger a redshirt season for Brog (probably our starting 2 if he were healthy) for the 2012-13 season.  Fairly disastrous.

February 25, basketball: North Carolina 54, Virginia 51 -- This is the kind of loss that really kills you as a UVA fan.  We had UNC on the ropes and we had a resumé-making win in our sights (a win that would have improved our tournament seeding, allowing us to avoid facing Florida in the first round).  Of course, the Carolina Mafia stole this one away from us, in the form of crooked ACC refs.

March 1, basketball: Florida State 63, Virginia 60 -- Remember when Ian Miller hit that miracle three-pointer with time expiring to complete their comeback?  We led by 11 with 4:30 left to play, and then ended up losing the game.  I kicked my ottoman when Miller buried that three, and I'm pretty sure I broke a bone in the top of my foot.  I've been walking with a limp ever since.

March 9, basketball: NC State 67, Virginia 64 -- We rolled into the ACC Tournament looking to prove our ability and resolve... but NC State had other ideas.  Many fans thought we had a chance at a deep run in Atlanta.  Noooooooope.

March 16, basketball: Florida 71, Virginia 45 -- UVA's triumphant return to the NCAA Tournament was the opposite of triumphant.  Unless by "triumphant" you mean totally embarrassing and depressing.

April 13, lacrosse: Duke 13, Virginia 5 -- Another year, another blowout loss to Duke in LAX.  (We really need to a find a way off of this schneid against the Blow Devils.)  Anyway, this 2012 loss to Duke threw our whole season on its ear.

May 2 -- Phillip Sims transferred from Alabama to Virginia.  Seemed like good news at the time, but looking back over a messy QB carousel and a botched 2012 campaign, this transfer looks somewhat like a curse disguised as a blessing.

May 20, lacrosse: Notre Dame 12, Virginia 10 -- An early end to UVA's lacrosse campaign, with this loss in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.  We rightfully expect better from our elite-level program.

June 3, baseball: Appalachian State 6, Virginia 5 / Oklahoma 5, Virginia 4 -- Over the course of a dubious doubleheader, UVA's season ended with a pair of one-run losses.   This was a failure to live up to our #1 seed status and was us falling well short of matching 2011's run to the College World Series.  (Still, the 39-19-1 season was pretty darn good for a rebuilding year, so you won't hear me bitching too much about the baseball team's performance in 2012.)

September 15, football: Georgia Tech 56, Virginia 20 -- This ugly blowout loss to a mediocre GT team really exposed our defense as not being all that great, and [in my opinion] fast-tracked the firing of Jim Reid.

September 29, football: Louisiana Tech 44, Virginia 38 -- In hindsight, we had to have this win in order to be a good team in 2012.  Obviously, it didn't happen.  The late-game snafu of sending our punt return team out on the field when the Bulldogs sent out their offense serves as a glowing testament to the coaching staff's shortcomings.  That was an inexcusable mistake.

October 1 -- Starting free safety point guard Jontel Evans broke his foot in practice.  It's never good when a starter goes down, and especially not at a run-heavy position like fullback point guard.  Naturally, this being Virginia and us being the target of so much terrible cosmic karma, Bub has struggled to return to action.

October 6, football: Duke 42, Virginia 17 -- Losing to Duke is always unacceptable.  Being blown out by Duke?  Cause for furious anger and terrible consternation.  Like, identity crisis type shit.  ("Are WE the new Duke?"  It's frightening to consider, but as we watch them play Cincy in the Tire Belk Bowl while we sit at home with our collective thumbs up our collective asses, it does feel like a bit of a role reversal.  Ugh.)

October 8 -- The roof to our new Indoor Practice Facility burst into flames.  Hokies everywhere burst into laughter.

October 13, football: Maryland 27, Virginia 20 -- Another loss to a bitter rival, another loss coming as a direct result of dismal special teams play.  Cue humiliation.  Screw you, Maryland. Eat shit and die, Stefon Diggs.

October 20, football: Wake Forest 16, Virginia 10 -- The punt doinking off of Khalek Shepherd's facemask is the play of the year for Virginia Football; it's the perfect symbol of the season that was.

November 9, basketball: George Mason 63, Virginia 59 -- What a way to open the new season.

November 13, basketball: Delaware 59, Virginia 53 -- This loss to a fairly bad Delaware team is going to be an NCAA Tournament resumé-killer, and it cost us a trip to Madison Square Garden for the NIT semis, where we would have faced some PRI-boosting competition.

November 15, football: North Carolina 37, Virginia 13 -- Another loss to a bitter rival, this time a proper woodshedding on national television.  Fantastic.  Just fantastic.

November 19 -- Maryland announced its intention to depart the ACC for the BigTen, and immediately placed the ACC back in shaky "house of cards" status.  Screw you, Maryland.

November 24, football: Virginia Tech 17, Virginia 14 -- Horrendous decisions by Mike London cost us this game against a truly awful Tech team.  Congrats to us as we successfully pissed away our best chance in a decade to beat those scumbags.

December 2 -- Mike London announced the dismissal of Jim Reid, thoroughly confusing and infuriating UVA fans everywhere.  Meanwhile Bill Lazor continues coaching at Virginia, unscathed by the offensive retardation we suffered from in 2012.

December 22, basketball: Old Dominion 63, Virginia 61 -- If losing to Delaware was a resumé-killer, then losing to a 1-10 ODU team was a resumé atomic bomb.  It was resumé genocide.  Now we have to try to survive in a post resumé-apocalyptic landscape, fighting bandits for dirty pisswater and trying to procreate with our sisters in order to keep the human race alive.


What a shitty, shitty year this has been.  Suck it, 2012.  Good riddance.

END OF THE WORLD?

Here's some nice, light, holiday reading from SI.com's Andy Staples.  Clickeroo...

The college football apocalypse is nigh! Or is it?

My Fault

Please place the blame for last night's Drano enema of a basketball game on my broad shoulders.  I knew I was hitting the program with an atomic bomb of jinxdom when I started predicting wins and losses.  With absolute power comes absolute responsibility, and I forgot to be responsible with my power of cursing Virginia sports by way of attaching anything remotely close to confidence upon them.

So the team played like absolute dog feces (prohounced feh-SUSS) last night, against a terrible 1-10 Old Dominion team, and aided by some of the worst officiating I've ever seen (which is saying a whole lot, considering the fact that I've been a life-long ACC fan.)

Now I have just one Christmas wish -- Somebody smack this guy in the jaw to straighten up his mouth.  It's on there crooked.

Carry on, nothing more to see here.

UVAMBB Power Rankings -- 12/21/12

Previous editions:

• UVAMBB Power Rankings -- 12/4/12

At regular intervals during basketball season, I will unveil the power rankings for all of the players on the basketball team. This is essentially a relative measure of how they've been performing in recent games, coupled with an in-order listing of each player's value to the team moving forward with the season.  On with it...

#1 Joe Harris (previous rank: #1)

The Ultimate Weapon hasn't really been carrying the offense, but only because he hasn't had to.  With Big Fun and Darion Atkins stepping up, Joey Buckets has been free to fill complementary roles where needed.  I look for him to assert himself a bit more once we get into the grind of the ACC schedule.  Believe it or not, Akil Mitchell is currently hot on his heels for this #1 ranking.

#2 Akil Mitchell (previous rank: #2)

If you round 9.5 up to a 10, Big Fundamental is averaging a double-double, with 13.5 ppg to go along with those 10 rebounds.  Add two assists, a steal, half a block, and 72% free throw shooting to the mix, and you have a high-impact forward on your hands.  Fun has been playing great basketball so far this season, and has now overtaken Jerome Meyinsse as the latest, greatest testament to Tony Bennett's ability to develop raw bigs into players.  Amen and Hallelujah.

FUN-DA-MENTAL

#3 Darion Atkins (previous rank: #3)

Akil has been playing extremely well, but it is Atkins who is the biggest pleasant surprise so far this season.  His 17 points against Morgan State paced the team, and there doesn't seem to be signs of that production slowing.  With two legit bigs for the first time since I can remember (Junior Burrough and Yuri Barnes, maybe?), this year's UVA team has the goods to deliver some consistent production in the paint, and Darion is a huge part of that equation.  ATKINS DIET!  52% from the stripe is going to bite us in the ass at some point, though.  Also, Atkins is still not totally immune to picking up cheap/stupid fouls.  So there are some things to clean up, but he's still only a sophomore, and he's still clearly the team's third-most important player right now (a healthy Jontel Evans could challenge that ranking).

#4 Teven Jones (previous rank: #5)

I'm officially drinking the kool-aid on this kid.  As I told my friend Karl at the Tennessee game, "Teven has a little motherfucker to his game."  For a point guard, that's something I really like -- a little bit of swagger, a little bit of a chip on the shoulder.  And I'm not trying to make this comparison, at all, but if you squint really hard and concentrate you can see a little Isaiah Thomas in Teven Jones.  I know that's an insane projection, but I can't put red ink on the eyeball test.  Teven's contributions can't be judged by the box score, as he simply gives the team an energy and an edge when he's in the game.  Plus, and I really love this in a point guard -- he's knocking down his free throws at a 93% clip.

#5 Justin Anderson (previous rank: #8)

He's suffering from the weight of expectations, but he's slowly coming around and learning how to translate his immense physical gifts into on-court production at the college level.  His field goal percentage (.390) and three-point percentage (.211) are both horrible, but like with Teven Jones, his contributions go beyond what you can track with stats.  I like him a lot as an energy guy off the bench this season, and if those shots start falling with a bit more regularity, look out.

Plus... this move... this dunk...

#6 Paul Jesperson (previous rank: #7)
He's our glue guy, and his length on the perimeter is a real x-factor defensively.  His 3-for-4 performance from the bonusphere against Morgan State was very encouraging.  He fits well into the defense, and if he can keep making some shots in each game it will be a really big deal for this team.  I rank him #6 here, but he probably deserves the #4 ranking on this list just based on the solid play he's given.

#7 Evan Nolte (previous rank: #4)
It kills me to drop Nolte three spots on this list, as he's a player I really, really like.  But the fact of the matter is that since the Wisconsin game, he just hasn't made much of an impact.  1-for-8 from behind the three-point arc over the course of the last four games coupled with minimal rebounding means his role is slipping a bit.  I think he'll settle into about 12 minutes per game as the 8th man in the rotation.  That's certainly enough for his positive development, but not enough for a big-time impact this season.  That being said, this team definitely needs complementary shooters from the perimeter, and if Jespy and/or Anderson aren't getting that done, Nolte would be given more of a chance.

#8 Mike Tobey (previous rank: #9)
He is what he is -- a still-raw yet offensively-talented center who needs serious work in the packline and lots of time in the weight room.  I think he's going to be a really good player for us down the line, but right now he's just the big we'll bring off the bench when Mitchell or Atkins need a breather or get into foul trouble.  I bet he has a few big games this season, but nothing in the way of regular, consistent, reliable production.

#9 Jontel Evans (previous rank: #6)
He could be as high as #2 on this list, but the team is learning how to play - and win - without him.  He'll eventually be healthy and will work his way back to importance, but he's pretty far from that right now.

#10 Taylor Barnette (previous rank: #10)
He'll play about 15-18 mpg as long as Bub is out.  He'll also get a crack at some perimeter shots as the 4th guy in the pecking order for the "complementary shooter" role.  Overall, I'm still not impressed by Barnette, but he's played pretty well in these two most recent games.

#11 Doug Browman (previous rank: NR)

As the #4 point guard, he deserves mention while Evans is out.  But he's far from being a key cog in the machine.  If you see that enormous melon in the game, it either means we're involved in a blowout, or we're in deep shit.


We currently sit at 9-2 overall, with two quality wins on our resumé.  After seeing the other ACC teams in action, I think I can make a decent educated guess on how the rest of the schedule will shake out...

Old Dominion - W, 10-2
Wofford - W, 11-2

North Carolina - L, 11-3 (0-1 ACC) -- I just can't predict a win here, as it makes it too easy to go pollyanna on this entire schedule projection.  That said, I think we have a very good chance to win this game.

@ Wake Forest - W, 12-3 (1-1)
@ Clemson - W, 13-3 (2-1)
Florida State - W, 14-3 (3-1)

@ Virginia Tech - L, 14-4 (3-2) -- We'll lose two of our first five ACC games, so I'm going with this one to give us the most painful loss available.

Boston College - W, 15-4 (4-2)
NC State - L, 15-5 (4-3)
@ Georgia Tech - W, 16-5 (5-3)
Clemson - W, 17-5 (6-3)

@ Maryland - L, 17-6 (6-4) -- Maryland is pretty damn good this season.  Well-coached, and with some real frontcourt firepower.  This is a bad matchup for us.

Virginia Tech - W, 18-6 (7-4)
@ North Carolina - L, 18-7 (7-5)

@ Miami - L, 18-8 (7-6) -- Many of our fans hit the panic button.  But this is just how the schedule breaks.

Georgia Tech - W, 19-8 (8-6)
Duke - L, 19-9 (8-7)
@ Boston College - W, 20-9 (9-7)
@ Florida State - L, 20-10 (9-8)

Maryland - W, 21-10 (10-8) -- We'll be on the bubble, and the JPJ will be rocking.  After peaking in mid-January, we'll have to grit through .500 ball in February and March in order to go dancing.  But we win this game and make it in... as a 9-seed.  We spring the 8/9 upset, and take the 1-seed to the brink in the second round.  Solid progress.

In Defense of the [35!] Bowl Games

[rant]

Tonight, we will be treated to the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, pitting the 7-5 Brigham Young University Cougars (best win: 6-3 over Utah State) against the homestanding 9-3 San Diego State University Aztecs (best win: 21-19 over a not-as-good-as-they-usually-are Boise State team).

The Poinsettia Bowl is one of 35 bowl games being played this holiday season, joining such instant classics as the BBVA Compass Bowl, featuring 6-6 Ole Miss and 6-6 Pitt, the Little Caesar's ("pizza, pizza") Bowl, spotlighting 7-5 Western Kentucky vs. 6-6 Central Michigan, and something called the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, starring 7-5 Arizona State vs. 7-5 Navy.

So now you're joining legions of babbling heads in asking, what's the point?

Here's the point, jackass:

MORE FOOTBALL.

It's actually pretty simple, right?

All summer long, we college football addicts sit around trying - and failing - to convince ourselves that we actually enjoy the marathon snoozefest that is the MLB regular season, all while secretly craving for football of any sort, type or varietal.  And now we're supposed to just reject that football, just because it's at the end of the [agonizingly short] regular season, and because the bowl names are stupid, and because the blah-blah media folks tell us that these bowl games are asinine?

I say screw that.  Bowl games are awesome.  I'd be okay if there were more.  Hell, I'd like it if there were more.  Open it up to teams that went 5-7, I don't care.  I want more teams playing in crazily-named games in nutty locations in oddball stadiums.  I want more college football.  I'll always want more college football.  To not want more college football is what's asinine.

I'd trade a pound of flesh to see UVA scratch out those shoulda-been-wins over Wake and Maryland to go 6-6 and have the chance to play 6-6 Jamaican Institute of Zebra Zoology in the  ShamWow Community Cockle Bowl this weekend.  Hell yeah I would.  You wouldn't?

So I say shine on you crazy diamonds.  You Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, shine on.  You GoDaddy.com Bowl, shine the heck on.  Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl, SHINE ON!

I guess I'm just not sophisticated enough to understand why MORE FOOTBALL is a bad thing.  I sure do wish Virginia were still playing, and I bet I'm not alone.

[/rant]

Wahooze Pix - Bowl Game Finale

Last Week
Doug: 3 (out of 7)

Pierce: 2

Kendall: 2

Mike: 2

Standings
Pierce - 73
Mike - 72
Guests - 71
Kendall - 66

Terrible week for everyone last time around. We managed to make our Hokie guest look bad, but better than all three of us.  This week is the final great equalizer – your heroes at Wahooze are prognosticating EVERY bowl game, even boring ones that don’t matter like the Russell Athletic Bowl. Basically, the season standings mean little…whoever picks the bowls the best should win the season competition. Considering there are 6 dozen meaningless bowl games, anyone could win.

Now, we here at Wahooze never shy away from a challenge. For our end of the year blow out, we’re all risking the indignity of losing to the guest pickers (like Kendall already is) by bringing on a surprise celebrity expert to pick against us. The guest: Jamie Oakes, UVA recruiting super guru, lord commander of Wahoos247, and established expert of college football and fine microbrews.

 

Jamie’s picks are unfortunately without witty commentary, but Mike, K, and I have got you covered.  Stay tuned to this post for the riveting conclusion to our Pix season – we’ll crunch some numbers and announce the winner in a later post.

Gildan New Mexico Bowl, Sat., Dec. 15, 1:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

Nevada vs. Arizona (-9.5)

Wolfpack: Kendall, Mike, Pierce

Wildcats: JO

Kendall: I like this game a lot, actually.  Nice little regional draw.  Zona's been a fun team to follow this season (RichRod is still an a-hole, though the guy can coach these teams with lower expectations.)  I expect a close game.  Nevada to cover, Arizona to win.

Mike: Everybody have their 3D TV’s ready for this? As much as I like Ka’Deem Carey I can’t see a blowout here, though I can see a ton of points. This game might actually be pretty good.

Pierce: Nevada should beat this spread easily. Pistol offense v RichRod defense.


Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Sat., Dec. 15, 4:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

Toledo vs. Utah State (-10) 

Toldeo: No one

Utah St: Everyone

Kendall: Utah State is a popular pick of mine for NCAA Football dynasty mode.  They have a sick-nasty defense this season.  Love the Aggies.

Mike: I actually watched a Toledo game this year. They did not impress me.

Pierce: 10 points is a lot, but from what little I know about Toledo this year, they’re not very good.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, Thur., Dec. 20, 8:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

BYU (-2.5) vs. San Diego State 

Cougars: Pierce

Aztecs: Mike, Kendall, JO

Kendall: BYU's fits and starts this season don't give me much confidence in them as a favorite in a bowl game against a capable opponent.

Mike: Home game for SDSU. I think they’ll manage to win. This game also on ESPN 3D for no reason.

Pierce: SDSU in a bowl game in San Diego? Eh, BYU is still the better team.


Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, Fri., Dec. 21, 7:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

UCF (-7) vs. Ball State

Knights: Mike, Kendall

Balls: Pierce, JO

Kendall:  I'm just hoping Ball State looks shitty enough for me to feel confident that we'll beat them next season.

Mike: Nothing.

Pierce: Go…Cardinals?


R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, Sat., Dec. 22, Noon EST, ESPN

East Carolina vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (-6) 

Pirates: JO

Cajuns: Mike, Kendall, Pierce

Kendall: This Lafayette team plays fast and loose.  They hit hard.  Play with swagger.  I like them a lot, and am excited to see this game next weekend.  Also Brett Baer is the best kicker in college football.  Heard it here first.

Mike: There will be no defense in this game.

Pierce: Mismatch. LL by a lot.


MAACO Bowl Las Vegas Bowl, Sat., Dec. 22, 3:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

Washington vs. (19)Boise State (-5)

Huskies: Mike, Kendall

Broncos: Pierce, JO

Kendall: Boise ain't typical Boise this season, and Washington does all the blue-collar stuff that wins football games.  Calling the mild upset in Vegas.

Mike: Not sure what to expect from Washington, very sure what to expect from Boise.

Pierce: Boise isn’t all that great – Washington has shown good potential. That said, I’ll take Chris Peterson in a bowl game any day.

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, Mon., Dec. 24, 8:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

Fresno State (-12) vs. SMU

Bulldogs: Mike, JO

Mustangs: Pierce, Kendall

Kendall: I'm a bit of a 'Stangs fan, thanks the June Jones.  So this is a heart pick, not a head pick.  (I make a lot of those.)

Mike: This should just be the “Whoever June Jones is Coaching” Bowl 

Pierce: Huge spread. Taking SMU.

Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, Wed., Dec. 26, 7:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

Western Kentucky (-5.5) vs. Central Michigan 

Hilltoppers: Mike, JO

Chippewas: Kendall, Pierce

Kendall: WKU will suffer from some head coaching change schizophrenia in this game, I suspect.  Too much looking ahead to the Petrino era.

Mike: Bobby Petrino will be hosting official visits for secretaries this weekend. Have to get off to a good start.

Pierce: Chippewas win outright. 


Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman, Thur., Dec. 27, 3:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

San Jose State (-7) vs. Bowling Green

Spartans: Mike, Pierce, JO

Falcons: Kendall

Kendall: *sigh*  These two teams are in a bowl game and we are not.  Turble.

Mike: Nothing

Pierce: Bowling Green is awful. I mean, they lost to the Hokies. Taking San Jose.


Belk Bowl, Thur., Dec. 27, 6:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

Cincinnati (-7.5) vs. Duke

Bearcats: Mike, Pierce

Blue Devils: Kendall, JO

Kendall: Cincy will annihilate Duke, like all fair-to-middling teams should.

Mike: Not sure how Cincinnati will do without Butch Jones

Pierce: Speaking of lost to VT…transitive property says Cats win big.


Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl, Thur., Dec. 27, 9:45 p.m. EST, ESPN

Baylor vs. (17)UCLA (Pick Em)

Bears: Kendall, JO, Pierce

Other kind of Bears: Mike

Kendall: Bruins can't contain that Art Briles offense.

Mike: I think UCLA will be able to stop Baylor, enough.

Pierce: Baylor’s best is much better than UCLA’s best.

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl, Fri., Dec. 28, 2:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

Ohio vs. Louisiana-Monroe (-7)

Bobcats: Everyone

Warhawks: No one.

Kendall: ULM has been a nice story this season, but Ohio U has the goods to win this sort of battle of the mid-majors.

Mike: Ohio is still good.

Pierce: ULM had a great start to the season, but Ohio is probably the better team. The Warhawk is a truly under appreciated mascot.

Russell Athletic Bowl, Fri., Dec. 28., 5:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

Rutgers vs. Virginia Tech (-2.5)

New Jersey Trash: Mike, Kendall, Pierce

Virginia Trash: JO

Kendall: I can't wait to see the Scarlet Knights roll these turdmongers.

Mike: This one’s for you HNB.

Pierce: I bet VT actually wins this game. I hope they lose by 30. I’ll go with the heart over the head here.

Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, Fri., Dec. 28, 9:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

Minnesota vs. Texas Tech (-12.5)

Golden Gophers: No one.

Red Raiders: Everyone.

Kendall: God, what an awful, awful game.  I like the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl better than this shitake mushroom.

Mike: Guns Up. Fired up after getting jobbed by Tubs.

Pierce: Spread is enormous for a reason. Losing their piece of trash coach probably helps the Raiders.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, Sat., Dec. 29, 11:45 a.m. EST, ESPN

Rice vs. Air Force (-1)

Rice: No one

AF: Everyone.

Kendall: Fugging RICE is in a bowl game and we are not.  Jee-zeus.

Mike: Airplanes>Grains

Pierce: Wow. This is a post season football game? Good God. Shout out to my pops, go Air Force.

New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Sat., Dec. 29, 3:15 EST, ESPN

West Virginia (-4) vs. Syracuse

Neers: Mike, Kendall, JO

Cuse: Pierce

Kendall: I like what the 'Cuse has done this season, but WVU is - for some weird reason - really good in bowl games.

Mike: Maybe they’ll learn defense in the next few weeks?

Pierce: Was there a more overhyped crap team this year than WVU? They’re the Logan Thomas of football teams. That’s a ridiculous metaphor when Thomas himself leads a football team, but I’m sticking with it. Cuse wins.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, Sat., Dec. 29, 4:00 p.m. EST, ESPN2

Navy vs. Arizona State (-14.5)

Boats: Mike, Kendall

Sun Devils: Pierce, JO

Kendall: Picking Navy for my Grandpa!

Mike: So many points to give.

Pierce: Huge spread. ASU really could blow them out…yeah, I think the Sun Devils actually cover here.

Valero Alamo Bowl, Sat., Dec. 29, 6:45 p.m. EST, ESPN

(23)Texas vs. (13)Oregon State (-2)

Longhorns: Kendall, Pierce, JO

Beavers: Mike

Kendall: Texas... might have a bit of a home field advantage playing in the freaking ALAMO Bowl.

Mike: I wish there was an In-N-Out Bowl

Pierce: OSU isn’t good. Texas isn’t good. I’ll go with roster talent. Texas wins

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Sat., Dec. 29, 10:15 p.m. EST, ESPN

TCU (-2.5) vs. Michigan State

Frogs: Mike, Pierce

Spartans: Kendall, JO

Kendall: I'm totally gay for Le'Veon Bell. 

Mike: TCU will benefit big time from the extra practice. And then roll.

Pierce: Sparty is another team on my most disappointing list for the season. Somehow they’re bowl eligible. Frogs by a bunch.

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, Mon., Dec. 31, Noon EST, ESPN

NC State vs. Vanderbilt (-6.5)

Pack: No one

Commodores: Everyone

Kendall: This might be the most top-to-bottom solid Vanderbilt team I can remember.

Mike: No clue which NC State will show up.

Pierce: No coaching staff vs a not awful SEC team in a home game. Dores win big.


Hyundai Sun Bowl, Mon., Dec. 31, 2:00 p.m. EST, CBS

USC (-10) vs. Georgia Tech

Trojans: Everyone

Al Groh Sucks: No one

Kendall: This one is going to get ugly.

Mike: This is going to embarrass the ACC

Pierce: V is for Victory and other Sesame Street lessons from the Trojans.

AutoZone Liberty Bowl, Mon., Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

Iowa State vs. Tulsa (Pick Em)

Cyclones: Kendall

Golden Hurricans: Mike, Pierce, JO

Kendall: I like the Cyclones here for really no good reason, other than the fact my friend Corey is an alum.

Mike: I like the inappropriate team name over the inappropriate mascot.

Pierce: Another snoozer. I’ll go with the mid major.

Chick-fil-A Bowl, Mon., Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

(8)LSU (-4) vs. (14)Clemson

Fightin’ Tigers: Everyone

Pacifist Tigers: No one

Kendall: I'm glad Chad Morris is staying at Clemson.  If we suck in 2013 and Mike London is canned, Morris would be one of my dream picks to replace him.  But this Peach Bowl?  Yeah, Bayou Bengals in a romp.  This is a terrible matchup for Clemson.

Mike: Defense wins. Period.

Pierce: The SEC just is worlds above the ACC. LSU covers.


TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, Tue., Jan. 1, Noon, ESPN2

Mississippi State (-2) vs. (20)Northwestern

Bulldogs: JO

Wildcats: Mike, Kendall, Pierce

Kendall: Wow, what a weird Gator Bowl matchup.  I guess I like Mississippi State to win, but my gut says Northwestern so let's go with that.

Mike: This is a big win for Northwestern

Pierce: Northwestern is good and we’re not. Le Sigh.

Heart of Dallas Bowl, Tue., Jan. 1, Noon, ESPNU

Purdue vs. Oklahoma State (-16.5)

Boilermakers: No one.

Pokes: Everyone.

Kendall: I can't help myself.  I just love Poke State.

Mike: Poke State beatdown.

Pierce: Purdue is horrid. I can’t believe they’re in a bowl.


Outback Bowl, Tue., Jan. 1, 1:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

(10)South Carolina (-5) vs. (18)Michigan

Cocks: Everyone

Blue: No one

Kendall: Fairly easy pick here.  COCKS!

Mike: Just watch JaDeveon Clowney.

Pierce: Cocks still have the best player in football.

Capital One Bowl, Tue., Jan. 1, 1:00 p.m. EST, ABC

(7)Georgia (-10) vs. (16)Nebraska

Dawgs: Everyone…

Corn: No one.

Kendall: Georgia deserved better than this game.  Will their minds be right to play it?  I'm thinking yes, and I'm thinking they'll want to flex some nuts for America.

Mike: Screw you BCS

Pierce: Nebraska got destroyed last game and UGA almost beat Alabama…why is this a bowl game?

Rose Bowl, Tue., Jan. 1, 5:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

Wisconsin vs. (6)Stanford (-6.5)

Badgers: No one

Cardinal: Everyone

Kendall: I'd take this Stanford pick to Vegas.  6.5?  Are you serious?

Mike: Stanford will out-Wisconsin Wisconsin.

Pierce: Stanford is still that good, Wisconsin isn’t as good as their beatdown of Nebraska suggests.

Discover Orange Bowl, Tue., Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

(15)Northern Illinois vs. (12)Florida State (-13.5)

Huskies?: No one…

Noles: Everyone

Kendall: Please do not blow this, Florida State.  The ACC may never recover from the humiliation if you lose.

Mike: Northern Illinois does not belong. You’ll see why.

Pierce: FSU has to blow them out. Has to.

Allstate Sugar Bowl, Wed., Jan. 2, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

(21)Louisville vs. (3)Florida (-13.5)

Cardinals: Mike, Kendall

Gators: Pierce, JO

Kendall: I'm on a serious pro-Lullville kick right now.  BRIDGEWATER!

Mike: Love Bridgewater, look for an upset.

Pierce: Though Louisville does add a good team to the ACC, Florida should roll here in the BCS spotlight.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Thur., Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

(4)Oregon (-9) vs. (5)Kansas State

Ducks: Everyone

EMAW: No one.

Kendall: Chip Kelly's last game at Oregon?  You know he'll go out in style.

Mike: I don’t think KState can keep up.

Pierce: 9 points isn’t much for Chip Kelly.

AT&T Cotton Bowl, Fri., Jan. 4, 8:00 p.m. EST, FOX

(9)Texas A&M (-4.5) vs. (11)Oklahoma

Aggies: No one

Sooners: Everyone

Kendall: I think winning that Heisman was bad news for Johnny Football. 

Mike: Johnny Manziel plays terrible. Book it.

Pierce: Sooners win outright.

BBVA Compass Bowl, Sat., Jan. 5, 1:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

Pittsburgh vs. Ole Miss (-3.5)

Panthers: Kendall, JO

Rebels: Mike, Pierce

Kendall: Get out there and rep the ACC, guys.

Mike: Rebs will cruise, and then bag the #1 recruit.

Pierce: Blow out city, I think. Rebs win big.

GoDaddy.com Bowl, Sun., Jan. 6, 9:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

Kent State vs. Arkansas State (-4)

Kent St: Mike, Kendall, JO

Ark St: Pierce

Kendall: I just think Kent State is the better team, though all eyes should be glued to Arkansas State's Josh Jarboe.  He's really, really good.

Mike: Kent State is not all that bad. Love Ryan Aplin though.

Pierce: I’ll at least feign some sort of knowledge/familiarity with the teams in every other game – but I’m completely lost with this one. ASU it is.

BCS National Championship, Mon., Jan. 7, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

(1)Notre Dame vs. (2)Alabama (-9.5)

Domers: Wahooze Staff

Bama: Wahoos247 Staff

Kendall: Alabama wins, but that's a really big spread.

Mike: Love the Domers plus the points. This is going to be a close game.

Pierce: For the sake of shaking it up, I’ll take the underdog. Bama should win, but it’d be more amusing if they didn’t. 

Well, there you have it. If you've made it this far, thanks for reading. Looks like our competition will be determined by the meaningless bowls, as we agreed on the majority of the BCS games. Cheers!